February 28th has been named National CSA Sign-Up Day. According to the 2014 CSA Farming Report, February 28th is the day that was most popular for individuals to sign up as a Community Supported Agriculture member. This report surveyed nearly 250 farms across America and Canada.

What exactly is a gastrognome? The Good Food Jobs folks define a gastrognome as a “jovial individual whose main purpose on earth is to connect people who derive pleasure from good food.” The contest they hosted involved getting a gnome and photographing the gnome on various food-related adventures, connecting people across the nation who are involved in the sustainable food movement.

Some of you may remember seeing the gnome visit our distribution site and make numerous appearances over on our Instagram feed.

As a result of our gnome food adventure photographs, we were awarded second place in their contest!

We are still taking registrations for our 2015 season (at our website: http://sustainableag.ca.uky.edu/csa) but you have several CSA options in addition the UK CSA. While we really appreciate our UK community CSA members, we also want to encourage you to support local farmers. Below is a list of farms offering CSAs in Fayette and surrounding counties. We encourage you, especially if you have been a multi-year member of the UK CSA, to explore other options. Our goals are to prepare our students and to grow the local farm economy. Your membership in a CSA – whether the UK CSA or one of your other options – contributes to those goals. THANKS!

Sign-ups have begun! We welcome you to join us for our 9th CSA season. Registration is now available on our website: http://sustainableag.ca.uky.edu/csa Sign-up, spread the word, and get ready for another season of fresh, organic vegetables.

Below are a few recipe ideas using vegetables in your Thanksgiving boxes, including:

Brown Butter and Sage Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Kale with Cranberries

Thanksgiving Cabbage Rolls with Cornbread Stuffing

Cider Roasted Vegetables

Spiced Delicata Squash

Roasted Cauliflower Gratin

Butternut “Pumpkin” Pie

Storage and Preservation Tips:

Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, and Winter Squashes should not be refrigerated. Keep them out of direct sunlight, in a dry place with some air circulation.

Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Bok Choi, Broccoli, and Cauliflower are best used right away. If you don’t plan to eat them this week, we recommend blanching them and freezing in ziplocs (except for lettuce which doesn’t freeze well.)

In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter and whisking frequently until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced sage to the brown butter and allow to cook until crisp, about 30 seconds. Add the flour to the brown butter and stir to combine, then add the almond milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese to the saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook until the cheese has melted and the sauce begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 9×9 casserole dish, place half of the sweet potatoes and cover with half of the cheese sauce. Top with the remaining sweet potatoes and then top with the remaining cheese sauce. Finally, top the scalloped potatoes with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 60 minutes or until potatoes are soft when you insert a knife into the middle of the casserole. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F. In a small roasting pan, toss the sweet potatoes with salt, pepper and enough coconut oil to coat potatoes and pan. Cover with foil and roast 15 minutes; remove foil and continue to cook until potatoes are tender and slightly browned (shaking pan occasionally, about 10 minutes). Remove from oven. (This step can be done in advance and the sweet potatoes set aside until dinner time.)

In the meantime, heat 2-3 Tbsp of butter/bacon fat in a frying pan over medium high heat. Start adding handfuls of kale and toss in pan until wilted. Keep adding kale until you have the amount you’d like, cooking until wilted and to desired tenderness. Add the dried fruit and a dash of balsamic vinegar and mix well.

Add the sweet potatoes to the kale and toss until heated throughout and well mixed. Adjust seasoning and serve.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Core the cabbage (carefully, with a strong knife) and place it, core side-down, in large soup pot. Fill halfway with water, heat to boiling, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cabbage leaves pull off easily and are supple enough to roll without breaking. (You might have to experiment with one or two to determine when it is ready.) Then remove the head of cabbage, drain well in a colander, and set aside.

2. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and wait about a minute, then add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. You can melt in some butter, for flavor, if you like.) Add the onion, sage, thyme, paprika, and about 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent.

3. Toss in the celery, bell pepper, garlic, and another 1/2 teaspoon or so of salt, and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring intermittently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the celery is very tender and everything is well mingled. (You can splash in a little water and cover the pan to help things soften.)

4. Turn off the heat, and crumble in the corn bread. Mix until it is completely coated with the sautéed mixture, then add lemon juice, black pepper, extra salt, and possibly some cayenne to taste.

5. Break off the cabbage leaves one at a time. Place about 3-4 tablespoons stuffing at the core end, and roll toward the tip, tucking in the sides. Arrange the cabbage rolls in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan in rows, touching. You’ll get about 12 rolls, which should fit snugly in the pan. At this point, the recipe can wait for several hours (covered and at room temperature) before being heated and served.

6. About 45 minutes before servings time, preheat oven to 350°F. Ladle some of the gravy over the rolls — enough to moisten. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the rolls are heated through. Serve hot or just very warm (perfectly fine), passing a gravy boat with the remaining gravy (hot), so people can help themselves to extra, if desired.

Copyright Tante Malka, Inc. By Mollie Katzen, author of The Heart of the Plate

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut across into 1/2-inch slices and combine in bowl with olive oil. Add coriander, cumin, thyme, ginger, salt and cayenne and toss thoroughly. Place in a single layer on baking sheet and roast, turning once halfway through cooking, for a total of 24 minutes, until squash is lightly browned and tender. Makes 6 servings.

2. Toss the florets with the oil and spread on the prepared pan. Roast in the oven until lightly browned and fork tender, 20 minutes.

3. Combine flour and 1/4 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth. Whisk in remaining 11/2 cups of milk and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the milk-flour mixture, whisking frequently, and cook until the sauce is thicker than heavy cream, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss with the cauliflower and transfer to a 2-inch-deep baking dish.

4. Make the topping: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Combine in a bowl with the panko, remaining 1/4 cup of cheese, and thyme. Sprinkle over the cauliflower. Let the mixture cool, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for one day. To serve, place uncovered dish in a 350-degree oven until the topping is golden and the gratin warmed through, about 15 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

DIRECTIONS:
Up to 3 days ahead, make the pastry in a food processor by first blending the flours, sugar and salt, then pulsing in the butter until it looks like peas. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon ice water and drizzle over the pastry. Pulse only until dough barely gathers together (3 to 5 seconds). Wrap and chill 1 hour to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Butter a 10″ shiny, roomy metal pie pan (a dark one will overcook crust and a very shallow pan makes a skimpy pie).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 1/8-inch thick. Gently fit it into the pan. Trim off all but a 1-inch rim hanging over the edge of the pan. Fold over the pastry so it is doubled on the pan’s rim. Pinch it together every 1/2 inch or so for a fluted crust. Chill 1 hour to overnight. Then line with foil and weights. Bake 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil liner, with a fork pierce the crust in several places, and bake an additional 5 minutes or until dry looking. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Keep at room temperature up to 24 hours.

Roast the squash flesh-side down on an oiled cookie sheet in a 400°F oven. Bake one hour, or until a knife slips easily into the thickest part of the squash. They should be extremely tender.

Cool, then scoop out the squash and puree it completely in a food processor. You should end up with 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups puree.

To make the pie, have the oven at 400°F. In a food processor or a large bowl, beat together the squash, sugar, salt, spices, vanilla, pepper, sour cream and milk until smooth. Taste for sweetness and spiciness, adding more sugar and/or spices if needed. Then beat in the eggs.

Pour the filling into the baked pie shell (save any extra for baked custard). Set it on a cookie sheet to catch any spills. Bake 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325°F. Bake another 45 minutes to 1 hour. The pie is done when a knife inserted an inch or more in from the edge comes out nearly clean (the center will still be soft).

Cool the pie on a rack. Chill if you are holding it more than a couple of hours. Serve the pie at room temperature, either topped with the whipped cream or pass the cream at the table.

Thanksgiving is less than 3 weeks away! We will be selling two types of boxes of vegetables for you to incorporate into your holiday cooking and eating. Each box will be $30.

The first box we are selling is a “Winter Storage Box.” This box will include lots of Winter Squash of mixed varieties, Sweet Potatoes, a mix of Potatoes (red skin, buff skin, and/or purple), Beets, Turnips, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Herbs, and Green Cabbage.

The second box we are selling is a “Fall Greens Box.” This box will include several items also in our Winter Storage box, like Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, and Herbs. In addition, the Fall Greens box will have Bok Choi or Napa Cabbage, Romaine Lettuce, Kale or Collards, and possibly some Salad or Braising Mix.

These boxes are for sale through our webstore. Click here to visit our webstore. Anyone is able to order a box through our webstore; these boxes are not limited to our CSA members. Thus, you are welcome to tell coworkers and friends about our boxes, which they can order themselves through our webstore.

You will be able to pick up your box(es) at our usual CSA pick up location at Commonwealth Stadium, near the corner of University Drive and Alumni Drive. The pick up will be on Tuesday November 25th from 4pm to 6pm only. We ask that you pay by credit card online at the webstore, or bring a check at pick up. Each box will be delivered in a 1 bushel wax box for your ease in taking it home. For the only time this year, you won’t have to remember to bring your bags!

The webstore will close at midnight on Sunday November 23rd. You have less than two weeks to place your order, and we have a limited quantity of boxes available, so don’t delay ordering if you want a box for your holiday festivities!

Farm Notes
We finally made it: Week #22! This week, freshmen students from UK came to the farm to help us plant garlic. Many of these students had never gotten dirt under their fingernails, but we hope this first farming experience won’t be their last. These young students are a fitting reminder at season’s end about why we do what we do: we care about the next generation and their relationship to the land. Yet the UK CSA could not exist without YOU. So, thank you for sharing in the life of the farm with us, and supporting the education of the next generation of farmers and community builders.

We’re giving you one last reminder to complete our CSA Survey for 2014 — just click HERE! We value your feedback.

While our CSA season is over, there are still crops growing in our fields. Keep your eyes open in the coming month for an email about ordering a box of vegetables for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

Please remember to bring your own pruners or scissors for harvesting U-Pick items!

Veggie Tips

+ Our Romaine Lettuce heads are large and in charge! Try Romaine the way CSA staffer Mims likes it: grilled!

+ The Beets this week are a variety called Cylindra. They will have a flavor just like the red “Ace” beets of two weeks ago, but their cylindrical shape makes these beets preferred by chefs because every slice is uniform. This uniformity makes them ideal for canning and pickling (recipe below)!

+ Our Autumn Crown Squash is a smaller version of the winter squash variety known as Long Island Cheese. It is a cross between “Crown Prince” and Butternut squashes. This squash has an orange, sweet flesh. This squash may smell like a sweet melon when you cut it. Autumn Crowns are a good source of vitamins A, B1, C, and E. The best preparation is roasting it, as you would pumpkin or butternut, but the flesh has a moderate sweetness that would work well in a pie, too. Store them in a cool, dry place.

Note: This is a traditional Russian (and Soviet) vegetable salad/ appetizer and one of the few
that is traditionally vegetarian and vegan. As fresh veggies were scarce in the late fall/winter, this was made with those that stored well – root vegetables, canned and pickled ones. (The dill can be dried, it’s simply better if it’s fresh.) As a traditional dish, it is very hard to get precise amounts or even standard ingredients. There should be slightly more diced potatoes than beets and about half the amount of carrots to beets. My Russian friend would add sauerkraut if it were available, or if the pickles were a little low. Other folks didn’t. Or omitted the peas. Any amount can be made as it’s much tastier, although more monotone in color, the second day. Make extra to let the flavors mix in the refrigerator (or cold cellar). Stores a long time. It should be a slightly sweet and definitely tangy salad. The name of the salad is clearly Russianized from the French vinaigrette dressing we know, but in Russian it always refers to this beet salad.

Taste and amount of pickles/sauerkraut determine the amount of vinegar (or lemon juice, for a slightly milder flavor) in the dressing. Traditionally, sunflower oil (barely filtered) and red vinegar were used, but I prefer to use balsamic vinegar. Sugar and mustard may be omitted. (For some reason, most American table beets are sweeter than Russian ones and harvested smaller.)

Root veggies are easiest to wash first, boil (separately) to tenderness, then peel (while hot) under cool water so skins slip off. Finally, dice. Leave stem and 1⁄2 ” of tail on beets to boil or they’ll bleed into the water. Cut off stems/tail when skinning. Or (faster!) pierce beets, place in closed ceramic container (to stop red splatter) and microwave until tender.
Приятного аппетита!

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add cauliflower and boil until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain in a colander, shaking to remove excess water. Return the cauliflower to the pot and dry over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a potato masher, mash the cauliflower until it resembles clumpy rice. Transfer to a large bowl to cool, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir flour and cheese into the cooled cauliflower. Season with pepper and salt. Stir in egg whites. Line an 8 inch square baking dish with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to hang over the edges. Spread the cauliflower mixture into the pan, compacting it into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until very cold, 1 to 2 hours.

4. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Gently turn the cauliflower mixture out onto a cutting board, removing the plastic wrap. Cut it into 36 evenly sized pieces. Roll the pieces in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat all sides. Place on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Directions:
Cook shredded vegetables in a saucepan until tender, adding just enough water or chicken broth to cover. Simmer until tender.

Lightly sauté the onion in olive oil until soft but not browned. Add the garlic to the onions after they’ve been cooking for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the cooked vegetables, then stir in the remaining ingredients and heat through.

Wilt in the kale, and season the kale leaves with a little freshly grated nutmeg. Stir in the tomato paste for 30 seconds, then add white wine. Cook to reduce by 1/2 and stir in the lentils, stock, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the soup until the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Serve immediately or cool, store, and reheat. Serve with chopped celery greens, to garnish.

Winter Squash Puree
From Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

If you’re not accustomed to eating winter squash, this is a quick and easy side dish that brings out the sweet flavor.

Cut the squashes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, season the flesh with salt and pepper, and fill the cavities with the garlic cloves, peeled, and the sage leaves. Place the squashes skin side down, in a shallow ovenproof dish, and add just enough water to barely cover the bottom, to prevent burning.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until completely tender. Allow to cool. Remove and discard the garlic and sage.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter in the milk over a low flame. Scoop the squash flesh out of the skin and put through a food mill or a ricer. Whisk in the milk and butter to give a soft texture to the purée. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Directions:
Remove the skin from the Roasted Beets and slice thinly. Arrange in 1-quart jars alternating layers with the onion. In a small pot boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 3 to 7 days before serving.

Roasted Beets:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients. Place into a foil pouch and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.